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Dr. Abigail Porter
Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA

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0 Anaerobic Microbiology
0 microplastics
0 Methanogenesis
0 Micropollutant biodegradation
0 Pharmaceutical biotransformation

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Review
Published: 21 February 2020 in F1000Research
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Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are commonly used chemicals that are increasingly detected in urban-impacted environments, particularly those receiving treated wastewater. PPCPs may have toxicological effects on the macrofauna that are exposed through contaminated water; thus, there is interest in microbially mediated transformations that may degrade PPCPs. This review discusses specific examples of PPCP transformations that may occur in anoxic environments, including O-methylation and O-demethylation.

ACS Style

Abigail W. Porter; Sarah J. Wolfson; Max Häggblom; Lily Y. Young. Microbial transformation of widely used pharmaceutical and personal care product compounds. F1000Research 2020, 9, 130 .

AMA Style

Abigail W. Porter, Sarah J. Wolfson, Max Häggblom, Lily Y. Young. Microbial transformation of widely used pharmaceutical and personal care product compounds. F1000Research. 2020; 9 ():130.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abigail W. Porter; Sarah J. Wolfson; Max Häggblom; Lily Y. Young. 2020. "Microbial transformation of widely used pharmaceutical and personal care product compounds." F1000Research 9, no. : 130.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2020 in AIMS Environmental Science
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ACS Style

Abigail W. Porter; Sarah J. Wolfson; Lily. Young. Pharmaceutical transforming microbes from wastewater and natural environments can colonize microplastics. AIMS Environmental Science 2020, 7, 99 -116.

AMA Style

Abigail W. Porter, Sarah J. Wolfson, Lily. Young. Pharmaceutical transforming microbes from wastewater and natural environments can colonize microplastics. AIMS Environmental Science. 2020; 7 (1):99-116.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abigail W. Porter; Sarah J. Wolfson; Lily. Young. 2020. "Pharmaceutical transforming microbes from wastewater and natural environments can colonize microplastics." AIMS Environmental Science 7, no. 1: 99-116.

Remediation and restoration
Published: 18 March 2019 in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
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Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging environmental contaminants that can be transformed by anaerobic microorganisms in anoxic environments. The present study examined 2 consortia, enriched under methanogenic and sulfate‐rich conditions, that demethylate the phenylmethyl ether anti‐inflammatory drug naproxen to 6‐O‐desmethylnaproxen. Both enriched consortia were also able to demethylate a range of phenylmethyl ether compounds of plant‐based origin or used as PPCPs. Results from 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the 2 communities were very different despite sharing the same PPCP metabolism. In most cases, the demethylated metabolite was not further degraded but rather accumulated in the culture medium. For the expectorant guaifenesin, this resulted in a novel microbial metabolite. Furthermore, to our knowledge, this is the first report of methylparaben metabolism under methanogenic conditions. The wide range of phenylmethyl ether substrates that underwent O‐demethylation in both methanogenic and sulfate‐rich conditions suggests that there are potentially bioactive transformation products in the environment that have not yet been quantified. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1585–1593. © 2019 SETAC

ACS Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Thomas S. Villani; James E. Simon; Lily Y. Young. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products Can Be Transformed by Anaerobic Microbiomes in the Environment and in Waste‐Treatment Processes. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2019, 38, 1585 -1593.

AMA Style

Sarah J. Wolfson, Abigail W. Porter, Thomas S. Villani, James E. Simon, Lily Y. Young. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products Can Be Transformed by Anaerobic Microbiomes in the Environment and in Waste‐Treatment Processes. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 2019; 38 (7):1585-1593.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Thomas S. Villani; James E. Simon; Lily Y. Young. 2019. "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products Can Be Transformed by Anaerobic Microbiomes in the Environment and in Waste‐Treatment Processes." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 38, no. 7: 1585-1593.

Journal article
Published: 26 February 2019 in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
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Natural attenuation is very often the remediation method of necessity, rather than choice, for beach environments impacted by off shore exploration/drilling accidents. Robust methods that can be efficiently utilized in difficult to access and ecologically sensitive areas are needed for the long term monitoring of such degradation processes. A prime candidate for such a monitoring tool is the spectral induced polarization (SIP) method, a geophysical technique successfully used for characterization and monitoring of hydrocarbon degradation in fresh water environments. In this laboratory experiment the SIP method successfully monitored the natural degradation of beach sediments impacted by the Deep‐Water Horizon oil spill. Using the SIP we were able to differentiate between biotic (e.g. microbial driven) and abiotic (e.g. dilution) degradation processes, and infer degradation rates. To our knowledge this is the first effort to use the SIP method as a monitoring aid in high salinity environments.

ACS Style

C. Kimak; D. Ntarlagiannis; L. D. Slater; E. A. Atekwana; C. L. Beaver; S. Rossbach; A. Porter; A. Ustra. Geophysical Monitoring of Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Highly Conductive Environments. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 2019, 124, 353 -366.

AMA Style

C. Kimak, D. Ntarlagiannis, L. D. Slater, E. A. Atekwana, C. L. Beaver, S. Rossbach, A. Porter, A. Ustra. Geophysical Monitoring of Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Highly Conductive Environments. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 2019; 124 (2):353-366.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Kimak; D. Ntarlagiannis; L. D. Slater; E. A. Atekwana; C. L. Beaver; S. Rossbach; A. Porter; A. Ustra. 2019. "Geophysical Monitoring of Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Highly Conductive Environments." Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 124, no. 2: 353-366.

Journal article
Published: 25 June 2018 in Microorganisms
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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common organic contaminants found in anoxic environments. The capacity for PAH biodegradation in unimpacted environments, however, has been understudied. Here we investigate the enrichment, selection, and sustainability of a microbial community from a pristine environment on naphthalene as the only amended carbon source. Pristine coastal sediments were obtained from the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve in Tuckerton, New Jersey, an ecological reserve which has no direct input or source of hydrocarbons. After an initial exposure to naphthalene, primary anaerobic transfer cultures completely degraded 500 µM naphthalene within 139 days. Subsequent transfer cultures mineralized naphthalene within 21 days with stoichiometric sulfate loss. Enriched cultures efficiently utilized only naphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene from the hydrocarbon mixtures in crude oil. To determine the microorganisms responsible for naphthalene degradation, stable isotope probing was utilized on cultures amended with fully labeled 13C-naphthalene as substrate. Three organisms were found to unambiguously synthesize 13C-DNA from 13C-naphthalene within 7 days. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 16S rRNA genes from two of these organisms are closely related to the known naphthalene degrading isolates NaphS2 and NaphS3 from PAH-contaminated sites. A third 16S rRNA gene was only distantly related to its closest relative and may represent a novel naphthalene degrading microbe from this environment.

ACS Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Lee J. Kerkhof; Lora M. McGuinness; Roger C. Prince; Lily Y. Young. Sulfate-Reducing Naphthalene Degraders Are Picky Eaters. Microorganisms 2018, 6, 59 .

AMA Style

Sarah J. Wolfson, Abigail W. Porter, Lee J. Kerkhof, Lora M. McGuinness, Roger C. Prince, Lily Y. Young. Sulfate-Reducing Naphthalene Degraders Are Picky Eaters. Microorganisms. 2018; 6 (3):59.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Lee J. Kerkhof; Lora M. McGuinness; Roger C. Prince; Lily Y. Young. 2018. "Sulfate-Reducing Naphthalene Degraders Are Picky Eaters." Microorganisms 6, no. 3: 59.

Journal article
Published: 15 March 2018 in Chemosphere
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While emerging pharmaceutical contaminants are monitored in wastewater treatment and the environment, there is little information concerning their microbial metabolites. The transformation of diphenhydramine by microorganisms in anaerobic digester sludge was investigated using anaerobic cultures amended with 1 mM diphenhydramine as the sole carbon source. Complete transformation of the parent compound to a persistent metabolite occurred within 191 days. Using GC/MS analysis, the metabolite was identified as N-desmethyl diphenhydramine. Loss of the parent compound diphenhydramine followed a first order rate constant of 0.013 day−1. There was no observed decrease in metabolite concentration even after a further 12 months of incubation, suggesting that the metabolite resists further degradation during wastewater treatment. Bacterial community diversity in the diphenhydramine transforming assay cultures showed enrichment in Comamonadaceae, Symbiobacteriaceae, Anaerolineaceae, and Prevotellaceae relative to unamended background controls. An anaerobic toxicity assay demonstrated that diphenhydramine has an inhibitory effect on both fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea in the wastewater community. In contrast, the metabolite N-desmethyl diphenhydramine partially suppressed methanogens but did not impact the fermenting community. To our knowledge, this is the first report of diphenhydramine metabolism by a bacterial community. The limited transformation of diphenhydramine by wastewater microorganisms indicates that N-desmethyl diphenhydramine will enter the environment along with unmetabolized diphenhydramine.

ACS Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Thomas S. Villani; James E. Simon; Lily Y. Young. The antihistamine diphenhydramine is demethylated by anaerobic wastewater microorganisms. Chemosphere 2018, 202, 460 -466.

AMA Style

Sarah J. Wolfson, Abigail W. Porter, Thomas S. Villani, James E. Simon, Lily Y. Young. The antihistamine diphenhydramine is demethylated by anaerobic wastewater microorganisms. Chemosphere. 2018; 202 ():460-466.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Thomas S. Villani; James E. Simon; Lily Y. Young. 2018. "The antihistamine diphenhydramine is demethylated by anaerobic wastewater microorganisms." Chemosphere 202, no. : 460-466.

Environmental microbiology
Published: 11 January 2018 in Microbial Ecology
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Over-the-counter pharmaceutical compounds can serve as microbial substrates in wastewater treatment processes as well as in the environment. The metabolic pathways and intermediates produced during their degradation, however, are poorly understood. In this study, we investigate an anaerobic wastewater community that metabolizes naproxen via demethylation. Enriched cultures, established from anaerobic digester inocula receiving naproxen as the sole carbon source, transformed naproxen to 6-O-desmethylnaproxen (DMN) within 22 days. Continual enrichment and culture transfer resulted in consistent demethylation of naproxen with no loss of DMN observed. Methane was generated at 0.83 mmol per 1 mmol transformed naproxen. In addition to naproxen, the consortium readily demethylated syringic acid and vanillic acid. DNA analysis revealed a community of acetogenic bacteria and syntrophic acetate oxidizing archaea. Combined with the biotransformation data, this suggests the enriched consortium performs aromatic O-demethylation through a syntrophic relationship between specific acetogens, acetate oxidizers, and methanogens. The proposed model of carbon transfer through the anaerobic food web highlights the significance of linked community interactions in the anaerobic transformation of aromatic O-methyl compounds such as naproxen.

ACS Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Julia K. Campbell; Lily Y. Young. Naproxen Is Transformed Via Acetogenesis and Syntrophic Acetate Oxidation by a Methanogenic Wastewater Consortium. Microbial Ecology 2018, 76, 362 -371.

AMA Style

Sarah J. Wolfson, Abigail W. Porter, Julia K. Campbell, Lily Y. Young. Naproxen Is Transformed Via Acetogenesis and Syntrophic Acetate Oxidation by a Methanogenic Wastewater Consortium. Microbial Ecology. 2018; 76 (2):362-371.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sarah J. Wolfson; Abigail W. Porter; Julia K. Campbell; Lily Y. Young. 2018. "Naproxen Is Transformed Via Acetogenesis and Syntrophic Acetate Oxidation by a Methanogenic Wastewater Consortium." Microbial Ecology 76, no. 2: 362-371.

Journal article
Published: 31 October 2014 in FEMS Microbiology Letters
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The selenate reductase in Escherichia coli is a multi-subunit enzyme predicted to bind Fe-S clusters. In this study, we examined the iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis genes that are required for selenate reductase activity. Mutants devoid of either the iscU or hscB gene in the Isc iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis pathway lost the ability to reduce selenate. Genetic complementation by the wild-type sequences restored selenate reductase activity. The results indicate the Isc biosynthetic system plays a key role in selenate reductase Fe-S cofactor assembly and is essential for enzyme activity.

ACS Style

Nathan Yee; Jessica Choi; Abigail Porter; Sean Carey; Inga Rauschenbach; Arye Harel. Selenate reductase activity inEscherichia colirequires Isc iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis genes. FEMS Microbiology Letters 2014, 361, 138 -143.

AMA Style

Nathan Yee, Jessica Choi, Abigail Porter, Sean Carey, Inga Rauschenbach, Arye Harel. Selenate reductase activity inEscherichia colirequires Isc iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis genes. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 2014; 361 (2):138-143.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nathan Yee; Jessica Choi; Abigail Porter; Sean Carey; Inga Rauschenbach; Arye Harel. 2014. "Selenate reductase activity inEscherichia colirequires Isc iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis genes." FEMS Microbiology Letters 361, no. 2: 138-143.

Review
Published: 01 January 2014 in Advances in Clinical Chemistry
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Aromatic compounds are a major component of the global carbon pool and include a diverse range of compounds such as humic acid, lignin, amino acids, and industrial contaminants. Due to the prevalence of aromatic compounds in the environment, aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms have evolved mechanisms by which to metabolize that available carbon. Less well understood are the anaerobic pathways. We now know that anaerobic metabolism of a variety of monoaromatic compounds can be initiated in a number of different ways, and a key metabolite for these pathways is benzoyl-CoA. Chemicals can have different upstream anaerobic degradation pathways yet can still be assessed by targeting the downstream benzoyl-CoA pathway. In this pathway, we propose that the ring opening hydrolase, encoded by the bamA gene, is especially useful because, in contrast to the benzoyl-CoA reductase, it is detected under a number of respiratory settings, including denitrifying, iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing, and fermentative conditions, and has a wide distribution in the environment. This review examines the bamA gene in enrichment cultures and environmental DNA extracts to consider whether it can be used as a biomarker for anaerobic aromatic degradation. Given the number of potential upstream inputs from natural and man-made monoaromatic compounds, the benzoyl-CoA pathway and the bamA gene in particular may play an important role in the global carbon cycle that has thus far been overlooked.

ACS Style

Abigail W. Porter; Lily Y. Young. Benzoyl-CoA, a Universal Biomarker for Anaerobic Degradation of Aromatic Compounds. Advances in Clinical Chemistry 2014, 88, 167 -203.

AMA Style

Abigail W. Porter, Lily Y. Young. Benzoyl-CoA, a Universal Biomarker for Anaerobic Degradation of Aromatic Compounds. Advances in Clinical Chemistry. 2014; 88 ():167-203.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abigail W. Porter; Lily Y. Young. 2014. "Benzoyl-CoA, a Universal Biomarker for Anaerobic Degradation of Aromatic Compounds." Advances in Clinical Chemistry 88, no. : 167-203.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2013 in GEOPHYSICS
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The demand for more efficient and economic oil recovery techniques has driven research into novel extraction approaches, including microbial enhanced methods. Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is an underutilized technology that could significantly enhance tertiary oil recovery. Previous research has shown the spectral induced polarization (SIP) method to be sensitive to microbial degradation of hydrocarbons, so the method should therefore be sensitive to MEOR treatments. To test this hypothesis, heavy-oil-containing sands were monitored for a period of approximately six months while undergoing MEOR treatment. SIP monitoring showed significant sensitivity to biodegradation induced changes. Increases in phase and imaginary conductivity, with a polarization peak centered on approximately 3–8 Hz, were observed for the two MEOR active columns. Similarly, the normalized chargeability, an integrated parameter of a Debye decomposition analysis of the spectra, showed a linear increase in time. Chromatographic methods confirmed oil biodegradation in the active columns. The SIP responses are likely the result of microbial processes and the changes they promote to oil properties, such as altering wettability, or possibly the effect of organic acid production. The results of this experiment indicate that SIP may be a viable method of monitoring MEOR processes.

ACS Style

Jeffrey Heenan; Abigail Porter; Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis; Lily Y. Young; Dale D. Werkema; Lee Slater. Sensitivity of the spectral induced polarization method to microbial enhanced oil recovery processes. GEOPHYSICS 2013, 78, E261 -E269.

AMA Style

Jeffrey Heenan, Abigail Porter, Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis, Lily Y. Young, Dale D. Werkema, Lee Slater. Sensitivity of the spectral induced polarization method to microbial enhanced oil recovery processes. GEOPHYSICS. 2013; 78 (5):E261-E269.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jeffrey Heenan; Abigail Porter; Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis; Lily Y. Young; Dale D. Werkema; Lee Slater. 2013. "Sensitivity of the spectral induced polarization method to microbial enhanced oil recovery processes." GEOPHYSICS 78, no. 5: E261-E269.

Review
Published: 01 January 2013 in Frontiers in Microbiology
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Aromatic compounds are a major component of the global carbon pool, and include a diverse range of compounds such as humic acid, lignin, amino acids, and industrial chemicals. Due to the prevalence of aromatic compounds in the environment, microorganisms have evolved mechanisms to metabolize that available carbon. While anaerobic monoaromatic degradation can be initiated in a number of different ways, the signature central metabolite for these pathways is benzoyl-CoA. Aromatic chemicals with different upstream degradation pathways all funnel into the downstream benzoyl-CoA pathway. Different genes encoding enzymes of the benzoyl-CoA pathway could be used as biomarkers, however the ring opening hydrolase, encoded by the bamA gene, is ideal because it is detected under a range of respiratory conditions, including denitrifying, iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing, and fermentative conditions. In this work we evaluated a number of DNA samples from diverse environments for the presence of the bamA gene, and had positive results for every sample. We further explored the bamA gene diversity in six of these sites as compared to published genome sequences and found that our clones were distributed throughout the dendrogram, although there were clone sequences from two sites that formed a unique clade. When we used a functional operational taxonomic unit based clustering analysis to compare the diversity of our sites to several locations reported in the literature, we found that there were two clusters of sites, and benzene contaminated sites were present in both clusters. Given the number of potential upstream inputs from natural and manmade monoaromatic compounds, the benzoyl-CoA pathway and the bamA gene play an important role in the global carbon cycle that has thus far been understudied.

ACS Style

Abigail W. Porter; Lily Y. Young. The bamA gene for anaerobic ring fission is widely distributed in the environment. Frontiers in Microbiology 2013, 4, 302 .

AMA Style

Abigail W. Porter, Lily Y. Young. The bamA gene for anaerobic ring fission is widely distributed in the environment. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2013; 4 ():302.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abigail W. Porter; Lily Y. Young. 2013. "The bamA gene for anaerobic ring fission is widely distributed in the environment." Frontiers in Microbiology 4, no. : 302.

Journal article
Published: 04 January 2012 in Journal of Applied Microbiology
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Aim: To characterize the microbial community structure and bamA gene diversity involved in anaerobic degradation of toluene and benzoate under denitrifying conditions. Methods and Results: Nitrate‐reducing enrichment cultures were established on either toluene, benzoate or without additional substrate. Bacterial community structures were characterized by 16S rRNA gene–based PCR‐DGGE analysis. bamA gene diversity was analysed using DGGE and cloning methods. The results showed that bamA gene related to bamA of Thauera chlorobenzoica was dominant in toluene and benzoate cultures. However, a greater diversity of sequences was obtained in benzoate cultures. Low diversity of bamA gene was observed, and some similarities of bamA were also found between active cultures and backgrounds, suggesting that potential natural attenuation of aromatic compounds might occur. Conclusions: The combined analysis of 16S rRNA and bamA genes suggests that the species related to genera Thauera dominated toluene‐ and benzoate‐degrading cultures. The combination of multiple methods (DGGE and cloning) provides a more complete picture of bamA gene diversity. Significance and Impact of the Study: To our knowledge, this is the first report of bamA gene in denitrifying enrichments using DGGE and cloning analysis.

ACS Style

Y.-N. Li; Abigail Porter; Adam Mumford; X.-H. Zhao; L.Y. Young. Bacterial community structure and bamA gene diversity in anaerobic degradation of toluene and benzoate under denitrifying conditions. Journal of Applied Microbiology 2012, 112, 269 -279.

AMA Style

Y.-N. Li, Abigail Porter, Adam Mumford, X.-H. Zhao, L.Y. Young. Bacterial community structure and bamA gene diversity in anaerobic degradation of toluene and benzoate under denitrifying conditions. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 2012; 112 (2):269-279.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Y.-N. Li; Abigail Porter; Adam Mumford; X.-H. Zhao; L.Y. Young. 2012. "Bacterial community structure and bamA gene diversity in anaerobic degradation of toluene and benzoate under denitrifying conditions." Journal of Applied Microbiology 112, no. 2: 269-279.

Journal article
Published: 20 October 2011 in Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
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We previously showed that opdA from Sphingomonas sp. PWE1 encodes a putative flavin monooxygenase capable of transforming octylphenol (OP) via type II ipso substitution. Here, we demonstrate that an opdA homolog is responsible for OP and related alkyl/alkoxyphenol degradation in the nonylphenol degrader Sphingomonas sp. TTNP3. PCR and Southern blot analyses revealed that TTNP3 contained an opdA homolog, while a TTNP3 derivative unable to grow on nonylphenol (TTNP3d) did not. OpdA expression was confirmed in wild-type TTNP3 via two dimensional gel electrophoresis. Activity was restored to TTNP3d following complementation with opdA. Sequence analysis of an opdA homolog from another nonylphenol degrader, Sphingobium xenophagum Bayram, revealed that the predicted protein sequences from PWE1 and Bayram were identical, but differed from TTNP3 by four amino acids. In order to assess differences, we heterologously expressed the two unique opdA homologs and compared their effect on the disappearance of five alkyl/alkoxyphenol substrates and subsequent appearance of hydroquinone. For all substrates, except OP, the levels of substrate disappearance and hydroquinone appearance were significantly lower in cultures expressing odpA TTNP3 than those expressing opdA PWE1/Bayram. These differences in substrate specificity were consistent with an in silico model which predicted that two of the amino acid differences between odpA TTNP3 and opdA PWE1/Bayram lay in a putative substrate binding pocket. While these strains are known to use the same type II ipso substitution mechanism for alkylphenol degradation, this work provides the first preliminary evidence that opdA homologs also encode the type I ipso substitution activity responsible for the degradation of alkoxyphenols.

ACS Style

Abigail Porter; B. R. Campbell; Boris Kolvenbach; P. F.-X. Corvini; Dirk Benndorf; Giomar Rivera-Cancel; A. G. Hay. Identification of the flavin monooxygenase responsible for ipso substitution of alkyl and alkoxyphenols in Sphingomonas sp. TTNP3 and Sphingobium xenophagum Bayram. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2011, 94, 261 -272.

AMA Style

Abigail Porter, B. R. Campbell, Boris Kolvenbach, P. F.-X. Corvini, Dirk Benndorf, Giomar Rivera-Cancel, A. G. Hay. Identification of the flavin monooxygenase responsible for ipso substitution of alkyl and alkoxyphenols in Sphingomonas sp. TTNP3 and Sphingobium xenophagum Bayram. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2011; 94 (1):261-272.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abigail Porter; B. R. Campbell; Boris Kolvenbach; P. F.-X. Corvini; Dirk Benndorf; Giomar Rivera-Cancel; A. G. Hay. 2011. "Identification of the flavin monooxygenase responsible for ipso substitution of alkyl and alkoxyphenols in Sphingomonas sp. TTNP3 and Sphingobium xenophagum Bayram." Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 94, no. 1: 261-272.

Review article
Published: 24 February 2009 in Advances in Applied Microbiology
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Medical treatments and personal hygiene lead to the steady release of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) into the environment. Some of these PPCPs have been shown to have detrimental environmental effects and could potentially impact human health. Understanding the biological transformation of PPCPs is essential for accurately determining their ultimate environmental fate, conducting accurate risk assessments, and improving PPCP removal. We summarize the current literature concerning the biological transformation of PPCPs in wastewater treatment plants, the environment, and by pure cultures of bacterial isolates. Although some PPCPs, such as ibuprofen, are readily degraded under most studied conditions, others, such as carbamazepine, tend to be recalcitrant. This variation in the biodegradability of PPCPs can be attributed to structural differences, because PPCPs are classified by application, not chemical structure. The degradation pathways of octylphenol by Sphingomonas sp. strain PWE1, ibuprofen by Sphingomonas sp. strain Ibu-2, and DEET by Pseudomonas putida DTB are discussed in more detail.

ACS Style

Jeanne Kagle; Abigail W. Porter; Robert W. Murdoch; Giomar Rivera-Cancel; Anthony G. Hay. Chapter 3 Biodegradation of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products. Advances in Applied Microbiology 2009, 67, 65 -108.

AMA Style

Jeanne Kagle, Abigail W. Porter, Robert W. Murdoch, Giomar Rivera-Cancel, Anthony G. Hay. Chapter 3 Biodegradation of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products. Advances in Applied Microbiology. 2009; 67 ():65-108.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jeanne Kagle; Abigail W. Porter; Robert W. Murdoch; Giomar Rivera-Cancel; Anthony G. Hay. 2009. "Chapter 3 Biodegradation of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products." Advances in Applied Microbiology 67, no. : 65-108.

Journal article
Published: 15 November 2007 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology
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Octylphenol (OP) is an estrogenic detergent breakdown product. Structurally similar nonylphenols are transformed via type II ispo substitution, resulting in the production of hydroquinone and removal of the branched side chain. Nothing is known, however, about the gene(s) encoding this activity. We report here on our efforts to clone the gene(s) encoding OP degradation activity from Sphingomonas sp. strain PWE1, which we isolated for its ability to grow on OP. A fosmid library of PWE1 DNA yielded a single clone, aew4H12, which accumulated a brown polymerization product in the presence of OP. Sequence analysis of loss-of-function transposon mutants of aew4H12 revealed a single open reading frame, opdA , that conferred OP degradation activity. Escherichia coli subclones expressing opdA caused OP disappearance, with the concomitant production of hydroquinone and 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene as well as small amounts of 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentanol. These metabolites are consistent with a type II ipso substitution reaction, the same mechanism described for nonylphenol biodegradation in other sphingomonads. Based on opdA 's sequence homology to a unique group of putative flavin monooxygenases and the recovery of hydroxylated OP intermediates from E. coli expressing opdA , we conclude that this gene encodes the observed type II ipso substitution activity responsible for the initial step in OP biodegradation.

ACS Style

A. W. Porter; A. G. Hay. Identification of opdA , a Gene Involved in Biodegradation of the Endocrine Disrupter Octylphenol. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2007, 73, 7373 -7379.

AMA Style

A. W. Porter, A. G. Hay. Identification of opdA , a Gene Involved in Biodegradation of the Endocrine Disrupter Octylphenol. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2007; 73 (22):7373-7379.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A. W. Porter; A. G. Hay. 2007. "Identification of opdA , a Gene Involved in Biodegradation of the Endocrine Disrupter Octylphenol." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73, no. 22: 7373-7379.